Definify.com

Webster 1913 Edition


Pedal

Pe′dal

(pē′dal in def 1; 277)
,
Adj.
[L.
pedalis
, fr.
pes
,
pedis
, foot. See
Foot
, and cf.
Pew
.]
1.
Of or pertaining to the foot, or to feet, literally or figuratively; specifically
(Zool.)
, pertaining to the foot of a mollusk;
as, the
pedal
ganglion
.
2.
(pĕd′al)
Of or pertaining to a pedal; having pedals.
Pedal curve
or
Pedal surface
(Geom.)
,
the curve or surface which is the locus of the feet of perpendiculars let fall from a fixed point upon the straight lines tangent to a given curve, or upon the planes tangent to a given surface.
Pedal note
(Mus.)
,
the note which is held or sustained through an organ point. See
Organ point
, under
Organ
.
Pedal organ
(Mus.)
,
an organ which has pedals or a range of keys moved by the feet; that portion of a full organ which is played with the feet.

Pe′dal

(pĕd′al)
,
Noun.
[Cf. F.
pédale
, It.
pedale
. See
Pedal
,
Adj.
]
1.
(Mech.)
A lever or key acted on by the foot, as in the pianoforte to raise the dampers, or in the organ to open and close certain pipes; a treadle, as in a lathe or a bicycle.
2.
(Geom.)
A pedal curve or surface.

Webster 1828 Edition


Pedal

PE'DAL

,
Adj.
[L. pedalis, from pes,pedis,foot.]
Pertaining to a foot.

Definition 2024


Pedal

Pedal

See also: pedal, pedál, and pedał

German

Noun

Pedal n (genitive Pedals, plural Pedale)

  1. pedal

Declension

Derived terms

pedal

pedal

See also: pedál, Pedal, and pedał

English

Noun

pedal (plural pedals)

  1. A lever operated by one's foot that is used to control a machine or mechanism, such as a bicycle or piano
    There are three pedals on manual cars, two on automatics.
    A piano usually has two or three pedals.
    the pedal of a loom
  2. (medicine) a foot or footlike part.
  3. (music) An effects unit, especially one designed to be activated by being stepped on.
  4. (equestrian, humorous) A stirrup.
  5. (music) The ranks of pipes played from the pedal-board of an organ.
    A small organ commonly has only one or two ranks on the pedal.

Derived terms

  • sostenuto pedal
  • sustaining pedal

Translations

Verb

pedal (third-person singular simple present pedals, present participle (UK) pedalling or (US) pedaling, simple past and past participle (UK) pedalled or (US) pedaled)

  1. To operate a pedal attached to a wheel in a continuous circular motion.
    to pedal one's loom
  2. To operate a bicycle.
    He was out of breath from pedalling up the steep hill.

Translations

Adjective

pedal (comparative more pedal, superlative most pedal)

  1. Of or relating to the foot.

Coordinate terms

Anagrams


Norwegian Bokmål

Etymology

From Latin

Noun

pedal m (definite singular pedalen, indefinite plural pedaler, definite plural pedalene)

  1. a pedal

Derived terms

References


Norwegian Nynorsk

Etymology

From Latin

Noun

pedal m (definite singular pedalen, indefinite plural pedalar, definite plural pedalane)

  1. a pedal

Derived terms

References


Portuguese

Etymology

Borrowing from Latin pedālis.

Noun

pedal m (plural pedais)

  1. pedal (lever operated by one’s foot)

Spanish

Etymology

Borrowing from Latin pedālis.

Noun

pedal m (plural pedales)

  1. pedal

Derived terms


Swedish

Noun

pedal c

  1. pedal; a lever operated by one's foot that is used to control a machine or mechanism, such as a bicycle or piano

Declension

Inflection of pedal 
Singular Plural
Indefinite Definite Indefinite Definite
Nominative pedal pedalen pedaler pedalerna
Genitive pedals pedalens pedalers pedalernas